Microstructural characterization of two Koto age Japanese swords

Abstract

Two Japanese long blades of the Ancient Sword (Koto) age have been analysed through time of flight neutron
diffraction. This technique allows the determination of several microstructural properties on different size
gauge volumes. The results of the experiment provided a quantitative multiphase characterization of the steel
composition of the blades and the determination of peculiar properties of the material, such as the texture,
the strain level and the grain size of the crystallites.